Chartering an Antonov AN-124 to the Middle East

They didn’t know it was impossible, so they did it. – Mark Twain

A boy’s dream? Alban at the helm.

“We had the pleasure of carrying out another major operation. This time, it involved the emergency shipment of a 28-tons engine from Nancy to the Emirates. Given the unusual dimensions, only the largest cargo aircraft available on the market was qualified to take on board the monster of steel. So we chartered the famous Antonov 124.

For practical and time-saving reasons, we landed it at Vatry airport. Due to weight and acceleration constraints (up to 3G), we had to calculate and design a specific cradle made of steel capable of withstanding all tests.

In this type of business, the most important thing is to have the best partners on your side, each one with their specific task, and to coordinate lifting cranes, exceptional convoys, packaging and handling, and many other participants, in a very tight schedule filled with a series of particular constraints. Many thanks to the FOSELEV Group, TRANSPORTS CAPELLE, Aéroport Paris-Vatry, ANTONOV Airlines!

The prowess here was to achieve all this in just 5 working days from green light to the aircraft take off! There’s no room for error: you have to know how to adapt, find effective solutions and
be able to rely on partners who are as reliable and flexible as we are. A real challenge.

Mission accomplished and a special pride that we share with everyone! “

The project began with an urgent request: the transportation of a 28-tons industrial engine from Nancy to the United Arab Emirates. The deadline at the destination did not allow for conventional shipping by sea. The local challenges and emergency were at critical level. Transport by air became necessary. However, the dimensions of the part to be transported prevented it from being loaded onto standard cargo freighter aircrafts. The only viable solution? The Antonov AN-124, the world’s largest cargo aircraft still in service – only a handful of which are available and operational for this mission.

The race against time begins. You have to :

• take into account the technical constraints associated with the various steps of the mission
• design a customized craddle capable of withstanding the stresses of stowage and the forces exerted, particularly during flight, with pressure of up to 3G on the part,
• to have a proper steel frame manufactured in record time,
• coordinate the contractual, financial and operational aspects of chartering the Antonov AN-124, from departure to arrival,
• organize an urgent special convoy from the loading site at a few hundred kilometers from the airport, with precise timing for a pin point coordination,
• charter and coordinate the right crane to carry out the delicate lifting operations and support the various handling phases required, especially the final film and tarpaulin protection for the engine, but above all its installation on the steel frame built for the occasion.
• accompany, coordinate and supervise all the teams meeting on the tarmac for the grand finale: loading into the Antonov’s belly.

A remarkable logistical performance, in just 5 working days, thanks to high-quality teams and meticulous coordination.

This type of mission is probably one of the most exceptional thing we can do in our air freight forwarding business, both technically and commercially. Why is it so exceptional? Firstly, because most of the time and for the vast majority of goods transported, scheduled commercial flights are sufficient to provide us with the necessary solutions. There are only a few cases where the dimensions and/or constraints of the operation require a specific charter flight. Rarer still when it comes to the Antonov 124, the most imposing of them all, and one of the least available on the market. Last but not least, the cost of such an operation necessarily makes these missions a rarity.

This type of operation is the grail for an air freight forwarder.

• The method: as a freight forwarder, we usually buy cargo flight per kilo, and we can also part-charter the cargo deck from a commercial aircraft sometimes. But chartering a full cargo aircraft is much more rare!
• The aircraft: After the destruction of the legendary Antonov AN-225 in February 2022, the AN-124 is now the largest cargo aircraft available.
• Complexity: It’s not a question of loading goods onto a pallet, but of urgently designing and manufacturing a customized transport solution.
• The project: the development of a customized craddle requires the involvement of specialists, and meticulous coordination in a very short amount of time.
• The business model: The cost of such an operation is high, and there is no room for error. Everything has to be checked and double-checked down to the last detail.

This mission illustrates MATHEZ FREIGHT AVIATION SOLUTIONS’ ability to meet critical challenges, combining expertise, chartering, sourcing and risk management. A nice demonstration of logistical strength!